Documentary tells story of U.S. nun in Tijuana - Mother Antonia Brenner has lived at La Mesa State Penitentiary
From The San Diego Union-Tribune
By Sandra Dibble
"The story of Mother Antonia Brenner, a U.S. nun who has spent years advocating for those behind bars at Tijuana's La Mesa State Penitentiary, airs
tonight on KPBS at 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
Narrated by actress Susan Sarandon, the half-hour documentary called "La Mama: An American Nun's Life in a Mexican Prison" is the work of Jody
Hammond, a San Diego television journalist. Hammond, who lives in Encinitas, has known Brenner for more than two decades; the two first met while
Hammond was covering border stories for a local television station.
"Ever since I had discovered Mother Antonia, I always thought what a great story, and that she merited more than a three-minute news piece," said
Hammond, who is currently working as a freelance producer for NBC News.
Brenner turns 86 next month. Raised in Beverly Hills, she had seven children from two marriages when she became a nun at age 50 and moved into the
prison. "She always felt her calling was to Mexico," Hammond said.
Due to health problems, Brenner is no longer a full-time resident of the prison, but she continues to work there. Members of her order, Sisters of the
Eleventh Hour, have continued to carry on her work.
"She is truly a force of nature," Hammond said. "I think the message is that look what one person can accomplish. She's such an inspiration. She's
been in a very scary place for a woman to be and she feels very safe within prison walls. She's walked into the middle of riots and stopped them."
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
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